Evolving Ghost
by Blazorna Ibara
Summary: Ties in with Evolation Online. An announcement in a chatroom reveals not only the existence of a rumored death game, but also of someone from Kirito's past roaming around in the virtual world. Someone who is supposed to be dead. As time ticks down to the open beta of Evolation Online, what will Kirito and the others do? Contains mild language for now, rating may go up later.


**Prologue: The Chatroom**

* * *

 **AYU23:** Did you guys know about those rumors going around lately?!

 **Minu_Minu** : What rumors?

 **AoiKiba34:** If it's about that Death Gun Incident in GGO, I already know about it.

 **AYU23** : No, there's something else going around the VRMMO community.

 **Kitan_KITAA** : If you ask me, the government should've just flat out banned things like the Amusphere after what happened with SAO and that fairy game incident.

 **AoiKiba34** : I am glad that the Seed was released on public domain, it was a godsend for the community, and the VR market as a whole.

 **Minu_Minu** : AYU, mind spilling what you heard?

 **AYU23** : You see, the rumors that I'm hearing is that people have been vanishing after they received a weird email.

 **AoiKiba34** : I heard about that one just the other day. It isn't anything special. Heard stuff like that at the start of the SAO crisis.

 **AYU23** : The reason why I brought that up is because not only is it true, I've found proof!

 **SaMe** : With what, a screencap of something you found on a forum?"

 **AYU23** : I know you play ALO, have you heard about that ghost rumor going on there?

 **SaMe** : Yeah, I heard of that "ghost" thing as well. Bunch of bull if you ask me. NPC's with AI and emotions? That's as unlikely as someone completely uploading their entire mind onto the internet.

 **AoiKiba34** : Actually, in ALO, I recall seeing this one Spriggan with a weird Navigation Pixie a few weeks ago. It kept calling him "Papa" and acted on its own accord in unusual behavior. I've done quite a bit of research, and even spoke with a programmer, there's not even one amongst the special event Navis who have such programming or behavior. Either the Spriggan is a hacker, or that AI thing may just be more credible than one would think.

 **Minu_Minu** : Guys, we're getting sidetracked here. What's the evidence?

 **AYU23** : an open Beta for Evolation Online.

 **AoiKiba34** : Wait, isn't that the name of the game connected with that weird invitation? The one said to be a hoax?

 **AYU23** : That's right, I actually found evidence it exists!

 **AoiKiba34** : If it has just still images, they can be fake.

 **AYU23** : what about a live stream there that's been going on nonstop for two weeks straight with no looping of footage?

 **AoiKiba34** : Okay, that would be WAY harder to fake.

 **Minu_Minu** : Okay, anything else regarding to that game is true?

 **AYU23:** The identity of that so called ghost. The site says that she is one of several hundred victims who shall be "reborn" after they have perished in SAO about a year ago. Also, I read that all the players in the closed Beta are all SAO survivors.

 **Minu_Minu** : Wow, seriously?!

 **AYU23** : However, there is one thing that I don't understand. It's just one sentence that only SAO players would get.

 **CHUCHU67** : Sorry for butting in, but my friend just told me about this board. Said something about Evolation Online actually being real and it being related to Sword Art Online.

 **Minu_Minu** : What is it AYU?

 **AoiKiba34** : Hi there CHUCHU67.

 **SaMe** : I found the site AYU is talking about. There's definitely two things I don't get. The first is this: The Rebels of Purgatorio need the Black Swordsman to help them.

 **Tiger_Shadow93** : I assure you all that everything you've heard about Evolation is all fact. From it being a death game to the invitations I've sent out. The reason why this isn't common knowledge is because the government is keeping this quiet to keep everyone of the public complacent and oblivious.

I am stepping out of the shadows to shed light upon this.

The players in the closed beta are indeed playing another death game. However, they voluntarily _CHOSE_ to join after reading my invitations, knowing fully well that they could die just like in Aincrad.

As for the open beta, do not fear, as you will be able to play however you like and are free of the death rule. You can enact your wildest fantasies in Evolation. Perhaps you can help the closed Beta players survive and locate where I am for the authorities to apprehend me.

Or, if you happen to have a connection to a list of six hundred people, who have all perished in SAO, I can offer you the chance to reunite with your loved one as an AI with the exact same personality. Also their memories up until their death will remain intact. I apologize I couldn't act faster to copy the minds of many more, but I was miraculously fortunate enough the amount that I just mentioned.

The main reason I decided to do this is to make sure that word gets spread that this is all fact, and not some urban legend. I especially want those who have survived Aincrad to be aware of this, especially the one who defeated the creator of that death game and freed all the survivors. He is known as the Black Swordsman, Kirito.

 **AoiKiba34** : Wait a minute. Are you saying the "Beater" was the one who saved everyone in Aincrad?!

 ** **Tiger_Shadow93** :** Correct. I was a hacker who managed to get into the main server of SAO, but it was impossible for me to do anything that affected the way things were going. All I could was copy minds and watch.

 **Minu_Minu** : Hold on a second Aoi, are you saying you were in SAO?

 **SaMe** : This is news.

 **AoiKiba34** : It's true, I actually fought on the front lines for the first boss battle, but I stopped after my best friend died while trying to level grind on the second. Torakage, did you manage to copy someone who was named Murasaki Kizu?

 **Tiger_Shadow93** : I apologize, but that name is one I am not familiar with. I have memorized every name of the six hundred players that I've copied, as well as having a comprehensive list on archive. For the record, not every member who I've invited to join Evolation Online is connected to the people I've copied.

However, there is one other thing survivors of Aincrad would need to know.

Laughing Coffin is in my game.

 **AoiKiba34** : _**YOU BASTARD! YOU HAVE THEM INVOLVED?!**_

 **SaMe** : Laughing Coffin? Never heard of them.

 **CHUCHU67** : Laughing Coffin was a murder guild in SAO, They knew their victims would die in reality, and they still did it. Nothing but cold hearted murderers. Also, some of them were also behind that Death Gun incident!

 **Tiger_Shadow93** : Indeed. I have actually recruited former members to join Evolation. Also, I actually have managed to recruit the one known as Red Eye Zaza, one of the murderers involved in the Death Gun incident.

 **SaMe** : this is getting insane

 **Tiger_Shadow93** : In fact I will make this an official invite to the ENTIRE VRMMO community. COME to Evolation Online, no matter what game you've come from. You'll be able to do whatever you want. There is however two things to know. If you beat the game, I will be at your disposal and mercy. You can turn me into the police with Laughing Coffin, or use my abilities for your personal gain. Perhaps you'd like to reunite with a loved one who died in SAO, but keep in mind that there's a possibility they aren't one of the 600 players I've copied over the two years of imprisonment. The second is that if you choose to join, be warned your consequences within the game will reverberate in the real world depending on your actions. Kill a player who is trapped and you'll be labeled a murderer with your real identity revealed to the world, as with your address.

I'll release the open Beta of Evolution Online in two months time to the public.

Before I forget, that "ghost" mentioned earlier in this thread is indeed one of those six hundred I've copied. She was actually a friend of the Black Swordsman, Kirito, until her tragic death.

 **AoiKiba34** : What's her name?

 **Tiger_Shadow93** : I will not reveal her true name, but her handle in SAO was Sachi. A member of the Moonlit Black Cats Guild.

* * *

My eyes widened upon reading this. I thought this was just a hoax, but that one thing made me think otherwise. He knew about Sachi and the Black Cats, and Red Eye Zaza's role in the Death Gun Incident. Agil was the one who pointed this out to me after coming across it earlier today. Seeing my name, he immediately called.

"So, do you think it's real or not?" he asked me.

"I don't know if all of it is true. But what he said about Sachi was true." I replied.

But still… if everything else Tiger_Shadow93 said was indeed true. Could Sachi really be back? It is impossible to bring the dead back to life, but if one's mind was able to be copied before death… Could it be possible?

"If this is all true, are you going to join that beta, Kirito?" Agil asked as he crossed his arms, bringing me out of thought.

"I don't think I will if this is all just some sick publicity stunt." I replied. "But if there is indeed another death game going on, it needs to be stopped. Besides, it seems like that Tiger Shadow guy was trying to get my attention."

"No question about that." my friend said with a sigh before looking right towards me. "I think we need to let the others know about this as well. Sinon too."

"Yeah, especially since Zaza is possibly involved." I said while frowning, recalling my fight against him in GGO. After that, the two of us began to call the others and to meet at the café as soon as possible. If this wasn't a hoax, then this is really serious…

* * *

 _Hey, thanks for taking a look at Evolving Ghost. If the size was not what you expected, keep in mind this is a prologue. The next chapter will more than make up in length. Keep in mind that updates will be pretty slow due to me working on three other stories, including Evolation Online._

 _For those who are new, I'll just give a brief explanation about Evolation Online. It's focused solely on OC's that I've created with others that others have submitted. (For those wondering, I'm making sure no overpowered/Mary Sue type characters are involved.) The premise is about these characters who willingly join another death game for various reasons. The catch is that EVERYONE playing it is an SAO survivor. This includes members from Laughing Coffin. Also, the players can transform into monsters. It's M rated, just to warn you._

 _For those who're already familiar with Evo, I'll point out that I never once said that I was going to be ignoring Kirito and the others from the story. I just said they wouldn't appear in Evolation Online. Before you get on my case, I HAVE been working on the next chapter of that story, just been juggling between it, Praedari Magica, Misplaced Hero, and this new one, Evolving Ghost._

 _Well, feel free to leave a review. I'd like to hear your thoughts on this, and please check out Evolation Online, which IS connected to this story, and vice-versa. Thanks again for checking out this story, and I hope to see you either here again or in Evo._


End file.
